New Delhi: US-based technology giant Oracle is bullish on India business focusing on providing innovative technologies including IoT, analytics, blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning to enable digital transformation for public and private sector companies. The Indian arm of the $37 billion firm is working on supplying blockchain solutions for oil and gas companies, Niraj Prakash, Senior Director, Solutions Consulting at Oracle India told Ankush Kumar in an exclusive interview. Edited excerpts..

Can you share the details of Oracle’s presence in the energy sector? In the energy sector, Oracle offers two solutions - a generic solution offered to the industry which includes our technology and the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application, and the other solution is for utilities which are part of our industry solutions portfolio. A large number of organizations in the utilities sector in India and globally are using Oracle’s solutions. The Restructured-Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Pragramme (APDRP) started in 2008 for additional central assistance to states for reducing the Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses in the power sector. Oracle has won numerous projects under APDRP in about 7-8 states. The overall addressable market for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) across the utilities sector for all Government of India projects is $350 million.

What is the company’s larger investment plan in India?India is actively investing in smart grid technologies, smart meters, Advanced Metering Infrastructure, customer satisfaction and experience with a focused approach to reduce the Aggregate Technical and Commercial Losses. Some of the big-ticket investments of the government are Smart Metering National Pragramme, Integrated Power Development Scheme, UDAY, smart city and digitization of utilities. This will drastically increase the use of modern digital technologies like IoT, smart sensors, two-way communication, analytics and cloud solutions in utilities. Oracle has been committed to India for many years by successfully participating in R-APDRP, ERP and SMNP programs. The Indian government and private entities are slowly embracing cloud technology, and this augurs well for Oracle as the true partner in the cloud journey. Oracle has invested heavily in India in setting up relevant processes and technical capabilities to leverage future business opportunities.

What is the most transformative technology energy utilities can use?Big data and analytics is one of the most potent technologies that energy utilities should be using. There is enormous data available in this sector to be harnessed and leveraged for business transformation. Oracle offers a modular, incremental solution set for local governments that provides a roadmap for transformation. This solution set includes technologies and applications that consolidate already-complex IT infrastructures, rationalize service delivery processes, and support current and future operational systems. Oracle’s solutions based on innovative technologies like IoT, analytics, blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning, are focused to empower organizations in the public as well as private sectors to enable their digital transformation.

What are the new projects or trends emerging in the energy space?The government is implementing the Smart Meter National Program (SMNP), which is about promoting smart and prepaid meters in an effort to change the electricity ecosystem. The other important schemes where Oracle is contributing with a focused approach are Integrated Power Development Scheme, UDAY etc. Also, Oracle offers solutions for managing the grid network, the outage and voltage levels etc. Many innovative programs are being implemented in the energy sector. We will soon start seeing the development of concepts like smart-grids which will allow consumers to return the unutilized power into the grid. Also, we will start seeing smaller decentralized networks of power generation and transmission. These programs have been in development for the last 10-12 years and are focused to target two areas -- the upgradation of India's ageing utilities infrastructure and reducing the high levels of AT&C losses. However, these transformative programs are likely to take some more years before finally switching to the smart grid infrastructure.

Is Oracle also focusing on the Oil and Gas sector? What are the opportunities in that area?Oracle has seen good growth in the oil and gas segment in the last couple of years. It is a strategically important area and we have implemented both downstream and upstream projects under the Government of India schemes. Oil companies are keen on using Blockchain technology for checking the authenticity of the bids and security. Oracle is working towards the possibility of the use of Blockchain in procurement areas.

Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) and Automation is considered to be one of the most evolving technology trends and is still catching up in India. What is Oracle doing in this space? As far as IoT is concerned, Oracle is present in the entire value chain except for sensors. Oracle provides the gateway of IoT cloud service through which all the data streaming happens, which is then governed and analyzed depending upon what one needs to monitor with a particular frequency. The IoT cloud service and business intelligence cloud service put together gives a fair amount of visibility into what is happening inside an oil and gas unit and what actions need to be taken through sensors. It is possible to get all kinds of information like temperature, volatility levels, the volume, the flow etc. We also have an Industry Policy Automation Platform, which helps organizations across all industries to effectively deliver services and determine policy obligations while maintaining full compliance with laws and regulations.

The government has increased focus on the renewable energy field. What are the opportunities there from a technology point of view?The government is trying to move away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy. Coal-based capacity accounts for around 60-70 per cent of the total energy generated and the intention is to reduce that significantly. Renewables are about power generation, rather than transmission or distribution. In the renewable energy space, Oracle plays a role in the asset lifecycle management including maintenance, procurement, project management, commissioning and the backend ERP of how best the asset can be planned and utilized to get the energy required. Modern technology has now taken Asset Life Cycle Management to Asset monitoring and IoT-monitoring of assets. Oracle is also in discussions with renewable energy companies where our solutions will be used.

How is the utility business shaping up for Oracle in India? What has been the larger growth trend?Utilities business in India does exist as an important priority for Oracle as part of the larger game plan. There are a lot of ERP implementations being evaluated by utility companies and power distribution companies. Oracle offers a very strong utilities-specific solution and would like to participate actively when the smart-grid initiatives and smart meter programs start implementation in India. Oracle, with its strong footprint in the utilities industry is poised to partner in India’s utilities growth momentum.